UNMARRIED AT THIRTY
EP 27
IT’S THE SOUND OF A WEDDING BELL.
“Sir, that’s how it’s right now. We’re not aware of the pregnancy earlier sir” Yinka said with tears in his eyes. Yinka’s heart was thumbing hard, he was shaking and his mind was void of any thoughts. He was just afraid of loosing Tolu, he remembered how he lost his mother at the hospital some years back. That time, Yinka had prayed fervently for his mother to survived but his solemn prayers were as futile as a barrel land. He only hoped they would be a different endings this time around. It was half past eleven o’clock when the doctor finally came out, Yinka and her family trooped to him immediately he stepped out.
“How’s she?” Everyone chorused.
“Erm, we will need blood urgently, they is no blood at the hospital right now” the doctor said still in a worried mood. They were only four people who could donate blood if at all their blood group matched.
Jumoke and her husband’s were screamed out, fumilayo was also screamed out. The father insisted he was tested, his blood group matched but according to the doctor he wasn’t qualified because he had shortage of blood which needs treatment though not urgent.
“Doctor, test me she’s my wife”. Yinka said pulling his sleeve up his arms. Luckily Yinka was a good match, immediately the transfusion was done.
Everyone waited anxiously outside while praying silently for a miracle. “Mother, please don’t let Toluwani die, she’s carrying your grandchildren” Yinka prayed to his dead mother.
It was like the world was at a standstill, like everything had stopped working or moving. Yinka and the entire family were in panicked mood waiting for the doctor to come out. “Sir, you should sit down, you just donated blood and it’s not advisable that you stand up this way” a young patient who sat at the reception and witnessed everything advised Yinka but he was too unsettled to think of anything about his health.
The door opened and the doctor came out adjusting his coat which was stained with blood. “How’s she doctor?”. Yinka questioned. His eyes getting dizzy and his body shrinking from exhaustion. “congratulations, the patient is stable now thanks to the early transfusion of blood and the help of your prayers. When she’s transferred to the regular ward, you can all check up on her one after the other” the doctor said with a smile upon his face. He was happy that he was able to save another human being.
It was already two days, though Toluwani was stable and breathing fine but she couldn’t stand up because of a fractured left leg. Her leg was seriously wounded and according to the orthopedic doctor, it was going to take at least six months for her to properly use her leg to walk.
“Hopefully six months though it can take way more than that depending on how quick she responds to treatment” the doctor had said
Toluwani was surprised to find out she was four months gone , she was also happy the babies were fine.
“thank you for being there for me” Toluwani thanked Yinka, her eyes were tearing and she was weak. Yinka had just fed her some spoonfuls of pap and had kissed her on the foreheads, the way he was treating her made her so emotional and grateful.
“You don’t have to worry about anything my lovely T-baby, the mother of our cute twins ” Yinka had told her with smilies on his face.
Since three days ago that Toluwani had the accidentt, Yinka had never left her side except for few minutes he went to the restroom or to buy food for her. He was just happy that she survived such disastrous crash, to him it doesn’t matter if Toluwani could walk or not. He just wanted her to be alive and fine.
George and her colleagues at the company had trooped to the hospital to visit Toluwani, they sympathized with her and wished her quick recovery. The company had given her until properly recovery before resuming work. George was amazed at how well Yinka had taken care of Toluwani, when he was told Toluwani was pregnant with a twin, he sincerely gave them his blessings and apologized to Yinka for his irrational mistreatment when he visited the office sometimes ago.
“I guess, the wedding will have to be postponed until you’re better and can walk right?” Jessica asked feeling bad for Toluwani. She was already 36 years, after all the unreasonable stigmatization she went through, just few days to her happy day, the devil struck. Everyone felt pity for Toluwani, she was such a kind hearted woman who doesn’t deserved all the negativities happening to her but who can actually explained how the world works. No one can.
“No, the wedding is not going to be postponed. Whether she can walk or not, she’s my wife and we are going to hold the wedding as little as possible right here in the hospital” Yinka said without worries. Everyone looked at him with wide eyes, even Toluwani’s mother never knew he loved her daughter that much to a point of marrying her when the doctor had told him how bad her legs were hurt. Yinka was determined and nothing was going to stopped him, Toluwani couldn’t find enough words to express her gratitude. Toluwani was extremely happy for that decision, to her it only shows how deeply Yinka loved her and she was truly grateful for his love.
It was two days to the wedding, Jessica and Yinka with Jumoke had gone to the mall to buy some gifts for the several patients at the hospital. The mall was crowded as usual, Jessica was at the toy section trying to bring down a toy which was kept on top of the last shelf. Her hand could barely reached it, she jumped up but her fingers only brushed the toy backwards. As she wanted to jump again, a voice, a hand appeared behind her.
“If you don’t mind, i d’ be your ladder everytime for the rest of your life” the sweet voice like honey whispered into Jessica’s right ear as he handed her the toy. Stunned, Jessica turned her face to see who swept her off her feet just now, what Jessica saw was beyond marvelous. Her heart skipped immediately and Jessica who had built an iron clad wall around her heart stood there breathless and blushing like a teenager who hadn’t been heartbroken before.
The tall young man probably in his middle forties with an enviable shining beards that gave way to his clean lips and spotless face smiled dubiously at Jessica and her heart beat faster. Her nervousness was so obvious that she almost fell when she wanted to hastened her steps away but the knight in shining armor held her from falling rather, she fell into his wide arms. She jerked herself up like someone who unintentionally stepped on a forbidden land.
“don’t worry, I’m single, you can rest your back on my arms a little” the more jokes he made the more defenceless and sheepish Jessica was becoming. The more Jessica tried anxiously to stayed composed, the more petty mistakes she made.
Mr Bello’s perfume was no doubt one of the best perfume you could come across on the street of Lagos. The smell of that perfume was to forever become the yardstick for quality perfume as long as Jessica was concerned.
TBC
I’m Victor Your Local Writer
ยฉOinu 2023
***
It’s okay to be sad, to cry out loudly.
It’s okay to be frustrated and broken but don’t spend too time being sad.
Don’t dedicate too much time to your sad moment. Within that circle of pains, look for something worth happy about. Yinka was sad, broken and felt trodden upon but he refused to exhausted all his time on sadness so he choose to go ahead with the wedding.
We’re left with only one episode on this book.
“
